Seminole County program feeds students during summer break

SANFORD, Fla. — Friday will be the final day of the school year for thousands of Seminole County students, many of whom depend on their schools for meals.

Although many children welcome the arrival of summer break, for some, it can be concerning.

Seminole County Public Schools prepares 40,000 meals daily during the school year.

At Hamilton Elementary School in Sanford, 80 percent of the student body receives free lunches.

The district said it seeks to prevent students from going hungry this summer.

Richard Miles, SCPS' nutrition and wellness coordinator, said a program called SummerBreak provides students with meals at almost 50 locations.

"Last summer, we served over 230,000 meals to bridge the gap and (to) make sure they were able to keep growing and learning," Miles said. "You are going to find there is some fresh-made food available, wonderful people who are here to serve you and great activities for your kids to enjoy."

Anayeli Aquino, whose child receives free lunches during the school year, said she's grateful for the assistance during the summer.

"It helps -- to save money and time," she said. "So you can just go and grab the lunch for your children, and you can just go play and do something with your child."

The summer service is free for children under 18 and costs $3 per meal for parents.

Cox Media Group